Patron of abandoned,
converts, single laywomen, and victims of betrayal
Feast day – October 05
St. Flora, Virgin, Patron
of the abandoned, of converts, single laywomen, and victims of betrayal – Feast
day is October 5th. Flora was born in France about the year 1309. She was a
devout child and later resisted all attempts on the part of her parents to find
a husband for her. In 1324, she entered the Priory of Beaulieu of the
Hospitaller nuns of St. John of Jerusalem. Here she was beset with many and
diverse trials, fell into a depressed state, and was made sport of by some of
her religious sisters. However, she never ceased to find favor with God and was
granted many unusual and mystical favors. One year on the feast of All Saints,
she fell into an ecstasy and took no nourishment until three weeks later on the
feast of St. Cecelia. On another occasion, while meditating on the Holy Spirit,
she was raised four feet from the ground and hung in the air in full view of
many onlookers. She also seemed to be pierced with the arms of Our Lord's
cross, causing blood to flow freely at times from her side and at others, from
her mouth. Other instances of God's favoring of his servant were also reported,
concerning prophetic knowledge of matters of which she could not naturally
know. Through it all, St. Flora remained humble and in complete communion with
her Divine Master, rendering wise counsel to all who flocked to her because of
her holiness and spiritual discernment. In 1347, she was called to her eternal
reward and many miracles were worked at her tomb.
I will force myself to be
brave and full of courage when the devil suggests things to me which would
offend our Lord.
Glorious Saint Flora,
my beloved patron, you served God in humility and confidence on earth. Now you
enjoy His beatific vision in heaven. You persevered till death and gained the
crown of eternal life. Remember now the dangers and confusion and anguish that
surround me and intercede for me in my needs and troubles, especially (name
your intention here).
Newly canonized in 2000, some areas celebrate the
Optional Memorial of St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who was chosen by
Jesus to remind the world of the mystery of God's merciful love, the devotion
to Divine Mercy.
Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar in
1969 today was the commemoration of St. Placid and His Companions. St. Placid
was placed in the care of St. Benedict at Subiaco by his father when quite
young. There had been a group of fourth-century Sicilian martyrs of whom one
had the name Placid. This Placid was erroneously identified with the disciple
of St. Benedict; thus arose the legend that the monk Placid, his sister, and
thirty monks suffered martyrdom in the port of Messina at the hands of pirates.
St. Faustina Kowalska, Virgin
Saint Faustina was born in the 20th century, and canonized in the year 2000.
Jesus chose her to deliver to the modern world a message as old as eternity. It
is the message of his love for all people, especially sinners. Jesus said to
Faustina, "Today I am sending you with my mercy to the people of the whole
world." It is his desire to heal the aching world, to draw all people into
his merciful heart of love.
On February 22, 1931, Jesus appeared to Faustina as
the King of Divine Mercy. He asked her to have a picture painted of him as she
saw him — clothed in white, with red and white rays of light streaming from his
heart. The rays represent the blood and water that flowed from the side of
Jesus on the cross. Under the image are the words, "Jesus, I trust in
you."
Many people did not believe Faustina at first. The
sisters in her own convent thought that Jesus could not possibly have selected
her for this great favor. After all, she was an uneducated peasant girl. Her
superiors often refused to give her permission to carry out Jesus' requests.
Church theologians, too, doubted her word. Jesus told Faustina that he loved
her obedience and that his will would be done in the end.
In June 1934 an artist completed the painting of the
Divine Mercy according to her instructions; and it soon became a focus for
devotion. Faustina continued to record in her diary the appearances of Jesus.
The diary was translated into English and published in 1987 with the title
Divine Mercy in My Soul.
Faustina, baptized Helena, had grown up in a poor
Polish family of 10 children. When she was 15 years old, she quit school in
order to work as a housemaid to help support her family. By the time she was 18,
she was sure that God was calling her to a religious life, but her parents
objected. So she tried to put it out of her mind. But one night, while the
lively polka music was playing at a village dance, Helena saw Jesus, sad and
suffering. The very next day she packed a small bag and went to the capital
city of Warsaw to join the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. There she received the
name Sister Mary Faustina.
About 10 years later, Faustina contracted
tuberculosis. Soon she was too weak to manage the heavy gardening assigned to
her. So she was given the job of gatekeeper. She was able to show mercy to the
poor people who came to the convent looking for food. Once Jesus came to the
door as a poor young man. After he had eaten the soup and bread Faustina gave him,
she recognized him. Jesus told her he had come to experience with great joy her
tender love and mercy.
Faustina was canonized by the first Polish pope, John
Paul II, on April 30, 2000. The first Sunday after Easter was declared Divine
Mercy Sunday.
Sources for this article were taken from:Saints
and Feast Days: A Resource and Activity Book by The Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio.
Prayer
Dear St. Faustina, I
have come to know you as a friend. I ask you to plead to the Lord for me the
prayer I ask of you. In times of doubt, dear friend, implore the Lord's Mercy
as you did so often here on earth, that I may remember who I am, and to what
His mercy has called me.
In times of fear,
implore His Mercy that I may ever remember to trust, and trust again, in joy,
and in the knowledge that God is preparing me for a beautiful mission.
Please pray dear St.
Faustina, that I may never forget that the abyss between my Lord and I has been
bridged by His tender mercy. He will continue to be faithful and heal me of
anything which stands in the way of His Will. My life is in His Hands.
Thank you dear
friend. Pray with me the prayer Our Lord taught you to spread throughout the
world; Jesus, I trust in You! Remind all pilgrims of life that if our trust is
great, there is no limit to Jesus' generosity.
